South Brownsville looks to improve neighborhood
BROWNSVILLE – Residents and business owners of Browns-ville’s Southside met with Lucinda Baron Robbins of Penn State’s Economic and Community Development Program and the Southside Renaissance committee to develop strategies to better their neighborhood. With nearly two dozen residents on hand, Robbins asked them what they would like to see transpire in the revitalization process.
An overwhelming majority stated that they would like to get the kids off the street, and many thought a recreation center of some sort would be the answer.
“There’s potential here, ” said Fred Lapisardi, owner of Geezer’s Bookstore and the 64 Crayons Culture Center located at Wayside Manor. “The town’s got room. Nice things can happen here.”
“If this is what you want, then it has to be a community wide effort,” said Robbins. “We have to build on the strengths of the neighborhood to make it better.”
One resident felt a recreation center is just what the community needs and suggested taking the recreation center concept one step further by making it a skateboard and bike park.
Several residents said that these parks are big in the Latrobe, Washington and West Mifflin areas. One woman said she has taken her grandchildren to the skateboard park in Latrobe.
“It’s just an old warehouse that someone restored,” one resident stated.
“I take my grandchildren there all time. It’s safe and they have fun. It would be great for this area, someone needs to jump on this business venture.”
“This seems like a good community to live in,” said Robbins. “As neighbors, we always can make it better.”
Other suggestions residents made were to build middle income housing projects, fix up or tear down dilapidated structures, increase retail development, plant community gardens, improve bus service and to enforce the curfew.
Added Brownsville mayor Norma Ryan, “I have a soft spot in my heart for South Brownsville. I was born and raised here. This community has potential. There are very special people in this town.”
The committee continued its efforts this past Saturday with a neighborhood cleanup.